


Childish

by whenindoubtblamekirk



Category: The Oregon Files - Clive Cussler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:49:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24431629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenindoubtblamekirk/pseuds/whenindoubtblamekirk
Summary: After the events of Mirage, you, Juan, and Max explore a basement filled with Tesla's inventions. However, unintented consequences ensue when Y/N decides to fool around with the wrong machine.
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

“What do you think this one does?” you ask, looking at Max. 

Juan pulls your hand away from the strange contraption. “Let’s not find out.”

You, Max, and Juan are currently searching through an abandoned building that holds the rest of Tesla’s inventions. After stopping the “invisible” Chinese ships, Murph and Eric had found papers in Tesla’s work about how this place was where he stored his defective ideas. Upon Langston Overholt’s request, Juan agreed to look through the building and report back to Lang before sending in CIA agents to recover the inventions.

The three of you stroll through the huge basement of the warehouse. Juan and Max begin talking about Juan’s date with Commander Michelle O'Connell. Not wanting to overhear anything gross, you take a turn down a different area. After a few minutes, you find an odd looking machine covered in a white sheet. You struggle to reach the sheet, given your small stature, but eventually you pull it off, coughing as a cloud of dust plumes up. 

“Whoa…” you stare at the shiny metal and brightly-colored buttons. “This is cool!” 

Juan’s voice echoes through the cavernous room. “Don’t touch anything, Y/N.”

“I’m not!” you lie as you press a few buttons just to be a smartass.

Suddenly, they come to life.

“Oh sh-” you’re cut off by a blindingly bright light.

After a few seconds, you regain consciousness, finding yourself on the floor. Dazed, you stare down at your hands. 

“Y/N?” Juan calls out for you.

The color drains from your face as you look at your reflection against the shiny metal. Before you can stop yourself, you burst into tears. 

“What the-” Max and Juan rush over, and Max leans down in front of you. “Sweetie, where are your parents?”

Juan glances around, taking in the pool of clothing that once fit you perfectly fine. Now, your shirt hangs off of your tiny frame. 

“Where’s Y/N?” Max asks, looking around. 

A tear tracks down your face as you choke out a sob. “Max!” you cry, running to him and wrapping your arms around his huge leg. 

“Oh no…” Max’s face goes pale. “You don’t think…” He easily picks up your tiny body, careful to keep the shirt wrapped around you. 

Juan studies the machine. He points to the toddler in front of him. “I think that _is_ Y/N.”


	2. chapter two

“Hux, we’ve got a problem,” Juan says into the phone. He pauses for a second. “You’re not gonna believe this.” Quickly, he explains what happened. After another pause, he answers, “No, I’m serious. I wouldn’t believe it either, except I’m looking right at her.”

He stares at you, taking in your baby face. Max holds you in his arms as Juan drives back to the  _ Oregon.  _

You reach up, grinning. With a tiny hand, you squeeze Max’s nose. He smiles down at you, though he glances nervously at Juan. He pulls you closer to his chest as the car goes over a bump. 

“We really should have her in a car seat,” Max grumbles, his fatherly side coming out. 

Juan looks at him. “Well, it’s kind of short notice. And I didn’t see one lying around in that basement,” he quipps.

“Is he mad?” you whisper loudly, looking up at Max. 

“I’m not mad, Y/N,” Juan says, smiling at you. “Confused and concerned, yes. But mad, no.”

You wrinkle your nose, snuggling closer to Max. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t worry about that, okay sweetie?”

You nod slowly. “Okay!” Suddenly, something out the window catches your eye. “Birds!” 

A flock of seagulls soar overhead. You squeal as one swoops near the car. “Can we go see the birds?”

Juan shakes his head. “We need to get you back home and looked at.”

Fat tears roll down your cheeks as you reach an arm out towards the seagulls. “Birds…” you mutter sadly.

Max rubs your back. “We’ll see them later, okay?”

Clumsily, you raise a chubby hand to your eyes. “Promise?”

He gently wipes the tears away for you. “Promise.”

The car slows as you turn up to the docks. “Home!” you squeal, staring up at the  _ Oregon.  _

Max grunts as he opens the car door. You wrap your arms around his neck as he carries you up the ramp and towards Julia Huxley’s outstretched arms. Juan follows closely behind and you wave at him from behind Max’s back.

Juan takes in the crowd on the deck. Linc, Eddie, Eric, Murph, and Linda all stand outside. 

“Chairman, you’re kidding right?” Eric asks. “This is a joke?” He motions to you. 

Juan shakes his head and turns to Julia. “Run some tests. Confirm this is her.” He then turns back to Eric and Murph. “Figure out what the hell happened.”

You gasp, pointing at Juan. “He said a bad word.”

Lincoln raises his eyebrows. “Nope, you definitely weren’t kidding.”

You spin around as Huxley motions to Max. “Let’s bring her down to medbay.”

You grip Max’s neck as you bounce with his every step. Linda follows behind you.

“Where’s Juan?” you ask.

Linda looks up at you, her face a mixture of shock and love. “He’s going to show Eric and Murph that machine.”

You nod slowly. “Okay! And what are we doing?”

“We’re going to make sure you’re okay,” Huxley says as she opens the doors to medbay. Once inside, Max sets you down on a bed. 

“This is big,” you whisper, taking in the huge white bed. Linda sits on the edge of it, waiting for Huxley. Max simply stands there, arms crossed. 

“How could this have happened?” he asks as soon as Hux returns. 

She inhales deeply. “I haven’t the foggiest. You’re the engineer.”

You walk over to Linda, careful to not fall over the side of the bed. She reaches her arms out for you, and you hug her tightly, your arms only making it halfway around her back. Taking a breath, you say, “You smell good.”

She laughs lightly. “Thank you, sweetie.”

Behind you, Huxley pulls on a pair of gloves. Looking up at Linda, she says, “Hold her for me, okay?”

Linda complies and you feel Huxley’s gloved hand take your arm. 

“Just need a little blood,” she says. You quickly turn to see what she’s doing.

Your eyes go wide as you take in the giant needle she holds in her hands. Screaming, you begin to sob, curling up against Linda. 

“Y/N, sweetie, it’s okay,” Hux soothes, trying to calm you down. She kneels in front of you. “It won't even hurt.”

“I-I don’t wanna!” you sputter, screaming again as you stare at the needle, eyes wide. Your lip trembles.

The three adults share a look, realizing this is going to be a lot more difficult than they thought. 

“I have an idea,” Max says, sitting down next to you. “What if I show you it doesn’t hurt?”

You look up at him, sniffling. “What do you mean?”

He rolls up his sleeve and looks at Huxley. “Go ahead, Julia.”

She smiles appreciatively. “Watch, Y/N. It doesn’t even hurt.” She inserts the needle into Max’s vein and draws a little bit of blood. 

You stare at her, then look up at Max, who’s smiling.

Linda leans close to you, whispering in your ear. “She’s so good, you won’t even feel it.”

Hesitantly, you reach your arm for Huxley, who takes out a fresh needle. 

“Are you ready?” she asks softly.

“W-wait.” You grab Linda’s huge hand, who gives yours a squeeze. “Okay.” 

Closing your eyes, you tuck close to Linda’s chest, waiting for the pain to come. 

“All done!”

You open them, confused. “Done?”

Huxley smiles at you. “You did great.”

Max pats your tiny leg as Linda squeezes your hand again. “Nice job, kiddo.”

You take a shaky breath. “That was scary,” you say, your voice tiny. 

Huxley returns with two little slips of paper in her hands. She holds them out for you to see them, and you realize they’re bandaids. 

“Butterflies or dinosaurs?”

Squealing, all fear from seconds ago vanishes as you quickly snatch up the dinosaur band aid. 

“Want some help with that?” Linda asks.

You shake your head, clumsily unwrapping the band aid. A piece of wrapping falls to the floor, and Huxley leans over to pick it up. “I got it.” You peel the wax paper off the band aid and place it on your arm, though it misses the spot by a centimeter.

Hux turns to Max and Linda. “I’m gonna run this through. Tell Juan I’ll text him the results.”

Max nods. “I think we already know the answer.”


	3. chapter three

Running ahead of Max and Linda, you reach the door to the Op Center. High above your head is the doorknob. Reaching up, you take both hands and try to twist it open. 

You frown when it stays there, not budging. 

“Let me help you, Y/N.” Max calls behind you. But before he can reach the door, it gently swings open, causing you to tumble into the room and land flat on your face. 

“Are you okay?” Eddie asks, concerned. “I didn’t mean to make you fall.”

You nod, pushing off the ground to get up. “S’okay. Wanna see my dinosaur bandaid?” you ask, thrusting your tiny arm for him to see the purple band aid with green triceratops on it.

He smiles broadly. “Very cool!”

You nod. “And she gave me this!” You pull out a cherry lollipop from your pocket. “Max told me I couldn’t have it in the hall. He said it’s dan-” you scrunch up your face, trying to remember how to pronounce the word. “Dager… daner…”

“Dangerous?” Eddie supplies.

You smile. “Yeah! But now I can have it.” You eagerly tear at the plastic wrapping, but you struggle to get it off.

“Here, let me help.” Eddie takes the lollipop from your small hands and unwraps it for you. “There,” he says, handing it back. 

You quickly snatch it from his hands and shove it into your mouth. “Thunk yu!” you say, the lollipop in your cheek. 

“How about you join us over here?” Juan asks. You look up at everyone at the table, just now noticing them. They look huge compared to you. 

“Okay!” you exclaim, and run around the table to Juan. Beside him, Max and Linda take their seats. You plop on the floor, leaning against Juan’s leg. He smiles down at you. “You staying there?”

You give him a red-stained grin. “Yeah.”

Juan leans forward, careful to keep his leg in the same place for you. “Okay, what do we have?”

Murph and Eric speak up first and begin explaining something about a machine and a man named Tesla. You quickly lose interest.

As they talk, you roam underneath the table, bumping into legs. Eventually, Juan’s voice cuts through. “Y/N, please get out from under there.”

You blush, knowing you’re in trouble. “Okay!” Turning around, you hit your head against one of the table beams, making a loud thud. “Ow…” 

Linc leans down, looking at you underneath the table. “You okay?”

You rub your head. “I’m good.” Walking towards him, you pop out from underneath the table and the conversation above you resumes. 

Maurice stands in the corner, waiting. You walk up to him and pull on his pant leg. “Hi.”

The smallest hint of a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “Hello, Y/N.”

You sit down at his feet, your chubby legs kicked out in front of you. Craning your neck behind you, you look up at the tall Brit. 

“What’s your favorite dinosaur?”

His face remains stoney, but he hums in thought. “I would say it must be a velociraptor.” 

You smile, leaning your head against his legs. “Mine is a triceratops.” Then you stop, thinking for a second. “Maybe a stegosaurus.”

“Both are fine choices.” The steward nods. 

The meeting at the table comes to a close, and Maurice looks down at you expectantly. “I am sorry to say I must leave.”

You pat his leg. “It’s okay. I forgive you, even if your favorite dinosaur is bad.”

“Man,” Murph laughs. “Being judged by a kid about your favorite dino. That’s rough.”

Maurice scowls at him. “And what is your favorite, Mr. Murphy?”

He grins. “T-Rex. I used to have a huge stuffed one on my bed.”

“That must have been the only large thing ever in your possession,” Maurice quipps. 

Everyone at the table starts laughing, but it takes Mark a second to understand. “Hey, wait a second!”

Juan holds a hand up. “Alright, that’s enough.” He looks down at you. “It’s bedtime.”

You yawn. “I’m not tired.”

Juan crosses over to you and scoops your little frame up. “Come on, Y/N. You’re with me tonight.”

After arriving at his cabin, he sets you down on the bed. “Wait there, okay? Eddie has some clothes for you that Hux will help you get on.”

As if on cue, Eddie knocks on the door and walks in. “Got ‘em, Chairman.”

Juan smiles. “Thanks, Eddie.”

He shrugs. “I got them for one of my cousins, but it turned out he was a she, so I’ve just had them in the back of my drawer for a while.” He looks over at you, then back at Juan. “They’re not girl clothes, but they should fit her. And…” he holds up one of the shirts. “They have dinosaurs.”

You squeal, jumping up and down. “Dinosaurs!”

Behind Eddie, Huxley enters the room. Eddie hands the clothes to her and waves at you as he leaves. 

“Alright, why don’t we get you changed up?” Crossing over to you, she scoops you up off the bed. “Can we take the bathroom?” she asks Juan.

“By all means.”

In the bathroom, Huxley helps you change into the clothes, which fit you well, and, with some assistance, you brush your teeth with a spare kit she brought up from med bay.

As soon as you step out, you run over to Juan and pull at his pant leg. “Where’s your bathtub?”

He smiles. “I don’t have one. I have a hot tub, though.”

You frown. “Can you put your duckies in it?”

“I don’t use duckies,” he says, laughing. Behind you, Huxley giggles as she leaves. 

You quickly hug his leg. “I’m sorry you don’t have any.”

He leans down and scoops you up, placing you on his bed again. “It’s okay. How about we go to bed?”

You nod sleepily. “Okay,” you whisper, burying yourself under his covers. Soon after, Juan sits down next to you. You hear a series of snapping noises and crawl over to him. 

“Whatcha doing?”

He points to his prosthetic leg. “I’m taking it off for the night.” In a practiced motion, he removed his leg and hops over to the closet, placing it inside. Hopping back, he sits next to you on the bed again. 

You study the stump of his leg, and he watches you. “Does it hurt?”

He shakes his head. “It’s fine.” Ruffling your hair, he says, “Don’t worry about it.” He slides himself closer to the head of the bed and tucks under the covers. “You coming?”

You shake your head and look down at your arm. Peeling your bandaid off, you place it on Juan’s stump. Bringing two fingers to your lips, you kiss them and plant your fingertips on the biggest triceratops. “All better!”

He smiles warmly. “Thank you.”

You crawl up towards him, laying next to him in the bed. He wraps an enormous arm around you, and you lean your head on his chest. Quickly, sleep overtakes you.


	4. chapter four

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

You yawn and rub at your eyes. Opening them, you look up at Juan, who’s laying beside you. He smiles. 

“Sleep okay?”

You nod groggily and rest your head back down on his arm, which you’re clutching like a stuffed animal. He gently shifts, pulling you with him. 

“We need to get up, okay?”

You pull his warm arm closer to you and close your eyes, still sleepy. “I don’t wanna.”

Juan thinks for a moment. “We have waffles.”

Instantly, you shoot up. “Waffles?” you ask, grinning. Crawling up towards him, you lay on his big chest. 

He pulls his arm underneath you and picks you up. “If we get dressed, we can have some.” Carrying you over to his desk, he sets you down on it and picks up a fresh pair of clothes. Pulling out a black pair of pants, Juan sets them next to you before holding up two shirts. One is a green with a tractor on it, the other is blue with a huge whale.

“Which one?”

You reach out a small hand and grab for the green one. Grinning, Juan puts the whale one away. 

Clumsily, you pull at your shirt, the world going black as you yank it up over your eyes. Struggling to get it off, you tip to the side. 

“Whoa Y/N!” Juan catches you before you fall off his desk. “Careful!” He sets you on the ground. Gently pulling the shirt over your head, he kneels in front of you. 

“Whoops…” 

He smiles. “No worries. Here, let’s get this on.” 

After a minute or so, you’re finally finished changing.

“Alright, now I need to change. Can you wait here for me?”

You smile up at him, plopping on the ground. “Okay!”

Taking some clothes out of his closet, he says over his shoulder, “Count to a hundred,” and enters the bathroom. 

You frown, counting on your stubby fingers. “One… two…” 

After eleven, you begin to struggle. Scrunching up your face, you whisper, “thirteen… sixteen… fourteen…”

Juan renters the room, and you hop up. 

“Waffles?” you ask, eyes big.

Taking your hand, he grins. “Waffles.”

The two of you walk to the door and make your way down the hall towards the Op Center. Twice, you tear away from his grip and begin running through the hall. At one point, you trip over the carpet and crash to the floor.

“Ow!”

“Y/N!” Juan jogs up to you and squats next to you. “Are you okay?”

Tears sting your eyes as you stare at the painful rug burn on your elbow, a drop of blood dripping from it and onto the floor. You sniffle as tears roll down your cheeks. Your lip trembles, and you begin to cry. 

“Aw, it’s okay, Y/N. Let me look at it.” Juan takes your elbow and wipes away the blood. “Just a little scratch.”

Crying, you sob into his shirt, the pain stinging your arm. “I-It h-hurts,” you choke out.

Juan tilts your chin up to him, his blue eyes studying you with concern. He thinks for a moment before bringing his lips to your elbow. Kissing it, he says, “All better.”

“A-All b-bet-better?” you ask, staring up at him. 

He smiles. “Yup. All better.”

You nod slowly, the pain in your elbow subsiding as Juan’s kiss eases it away. You wipe at your eyes. “Okay.”

He offers his big hand to you, and you take it, wrapping two little fingers around his huge one. The two of you begin walking again. Eventually, you reach the Op Center. 

This time, you let Juan open the door. His long legs swing forward, but you quickly run in front of him and into the room, searching for the waffles. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Max greets you, but you ignore him. Getting up on your tiptoes, you grip the table with both hands and peek up at its contents. Scanning the table, you eye what you’re looking for and reach for one, heedless of crossing your arm over Eric’s plate. 

Straining, the golden chocolate chip waffle is just out of reach, but Eric stabs it with a fork and hands it to you, smiling.

“There ya go.”

You take the waffle happily and retreat under the table, some of the chocolate melting onto your fingertips. Leaning against the middle post, you hungrily take a bite, holding the huge waffle with both hands. 

Above you, Juan’s voice rumbles. “Alright, Murph, put Overholt on.” He pauses for a second. “Normally, I’d explain this in private, but honestly I feel better having you all here to convince him I’m not nuts.”

This causes a few people to chuckle, and you smile. Suddenly, a new voice thunders in the room.

“Juan, how are you? How’s the Tesla recon going?”

“Well… we’ve hit a snag.”

You take another bite of waffle, wondering what he’s talking about. 

“What snag?” Langston asks, his voice full of tension. “Please tell me you didn’t find another warship.”

“Something a little different than that, sir,” Eddie says.

“Y/N,” Juan calls. “Come out from under there please.”

You quickly shove the rest of the waffle in your mouth and crawl out from underneath the table. Juan motions for you to join him, and you walk over to him. Stretching your arms up, you ask to be picked up, and Juan grabs you with both hands and sets you on his lap.

Up on the big screen, Overholt’s brow furrows. “Juan, I’m not understanding. What’s going on?”

“This is Y/N.”

You stare up at the screen with wide eyes. Squealing, you reach out for him. “Lang!”

His eyebrows arch in surprise. “My boy, you don’t mean-”

Huxley enters the room. “Juan, I just got the blood test back.” She hands Juan a sheet of paper. “It’s a match.” 

Lang stares down at you. “Oh dear.”

Juan nods. “Eric and Murph will be looking at the machine later, but honestly, without putting ourselves at greater risk, there’s nothing else we can do for right now.”

Lang presses a button on his desk and asks for his secretary. A slender woman with dark black hair walks in. 

“Yes, sir?”

“Get me Andrews and Smith.” He turns back to Juan as the woman leaves. “I’m sending you two of my best analysts.”

Juan nods. “Thank you.”

You poke his cheek. “What’s an an-a-lyst?” you ask, stretching out the word.

Lang’s voice is loud through the speakers. “They’re some people that are going to help figure out what’s going on.”

You barely hear him, already distracted. Squirming in Juan’s arms, he sets you down again and you bound off, on the hunt for another waffle.

“Don’t eat too many,” Max warns.

“Yeah,” Murph grins. “Linda gets protective of her food.”

Your eyes go wide as you take in Linda’s elfen face. Whispering loudly, you look up at him. “I already have one booboo.”

She rolls her eyes at Murph. “Thanks, Mark.”

Quickly, you snatch another waffle and hide behind Lincoln’s huge form, wondering if she’ll try to take it from you. You decide that, just to be careful, you should eat it fast. 

“Y/N, sweetie,” Huxley points at the chocolate on your face. “Why don’t we use a plate?”

Linc reaches in front of him, the chair groaning under his weight. “Here.” He hands you a little plate and a fork and knife.

You stare up at them, carefully taking the knife.

“Linc wait!” Eddie reaches for the sharp blade, but it’s too late. You already have it in your hand. 

“Oh shit.” Linc quickly gets up from his chair as you run out of the Op Center, the door still left ajar. The sharp blade shines in the light of the hall as you run away, squealing.

“What’s wrong?” Juan asks, his voice distant.

“She has a knife!” Linc calls behind him as he chases after you. “Y/N, stop!”

You giggle, enjoying the chase as your tiny legs carry you down the hall.

Suddenly, you run into something and tumble to the ground, the knife falling to the carpet. 

“Hi there,” MacD drawls. “Who are you?”

You crane your neck to look up at him, squealing, “Hi, MacD!” Before dashing off again. 

Linc shouts to him, “Stop her!”

“Who is she?” he asks, confused.

“That’s Y/N. And she has a knife.”

The Southern curses behind you and begins to join in the pursuit. “How come she’s-”

“Long story. Y/N!”

You quickly take a sharp turn down another hallway. Staring down at the gleaming object in your hands, you wonder why they want it so badly. Their footsteps grow louder, and a shadow casts over you. Suddenly, you find yourself in the air, your legs still kicking underneath you. 

MacD’s holds you firmly in place as Linc pries the knife from your hand.

“You’re a lot younger than Ah remember,” he mutters, taking in your twin pigtails and missing bottom tooth. 

You furrow your brow. “Whaddya mean?”

Linc shoves the knife into his pocket and takes you into his arms. “We’ll explain later.”

Returning to the Op Center, everyone stares up at you and Linc. Eddie takes the knife from Linc’s pocket and puts it on the table, out of reach. 

“I’m not going to you for babysitting,” Linda teases, and the big former Navy SEAL’s face goes red.

“I’m not used to having to baby-proof everything,” he protests. 

“I’m not a baby!” you reply, you’re voice high-pitched.

The crew exchanges glances. Juan frowns at you for a second. “And how old _are_ you, Y/N?”

Everyone stares at you while you think. For some reason, one of the big numbers from earlier flashes in your mind, but it quickly disappears. Your head aches a little, and you bring a hand up to it. “I-I don’t know…” you whisper. 

Huxley mutters something to Juan, but you don’t catch it. You stare up at Linc, your eyes wet. Before you can say anything, he lays a big hand on you, covering your whole back.

“It’s okay, Y/N,” Linda soothes, reaching over and tapping your leg. 

You look down at her, your eyes big with fear. “Do I have a booboo?”

Eric shakes his head quickly. “Just a little one.” 

“But we’re going to fix you up,” Huxley says, and Juan nods confidently. 

You yawn and curl up on Linc’s chest. “Okay… Mm sleepy…” you whisper, your adrenaline crashing. 

“You just woke up!” Murph teases, but Max slaps his arm. 

Nodding to you, he says, “A nap might be a good idea.”

Linc’s deep voice rumbles in his chest. “Go to sleep,” he says. 

You doze off, dreaming of dinosaurs. 


	5. chapter five

Over the next few days, the senior crew begins to develop a schedule, alternating who you stay with every night so that everyone can get adequate rest. They quickly notice that despite how sleepy you get during the day, you consistently wake up in the middle of the night. Thankfully though, the crew is used to not sleeping a full eight hours, and they keep up with you until you finally doze off again.

Tonight, you’re staying with Linda. After finishing your dinner of chicken nuggets and ketchup, a dish Maurice absolutely hated making, you hop down from the huge chair and onto the floor. 

“Wait, sweetheart.” Eddie catches your arm and pulls you back. Raising a napkin to your face, he wipes off some ketchup. “There you go.”

You grin up at him. “Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome.”

Maurice collects the dishes, and Juan chuckles as he pauses at yours, taking the little plastic Dora plate into his hands. Two nights ago, Maurice and the others learned that a toddler handling expensive China might not be the best idea after you accidentally shattered one on the ground. Linda Ross, however, procured the plate for you, insisting it had been a joke from one of her old Navy buddies. 

“Bathtime.” Linda smiles, standing. You waddle over to her and take her outstretched hand. 

“Night!” You wave a tiny hand at Juan, Max, and the rest of the senior crew. 

Everyone smiles warmly as a chorus of goodnights follow. 

“Do you have duckies?” you ask Linda, looking up at her. 

She frowns, shaking her head. “But I do have bubble bath.”

“Bubbles!” you squeal, running ahead of her. Once the two of you enter her cabin, she draws a hot bath for you. With her help, you strip down and get into the bathtub. Linda winks at you and pours a blue liquid into the water. Swishing her hand around, bubbles begin to form. You clap your hands, making water splatter the floor. You quickly grab at the bubbles, wiping them on her face. 

She laughs and opens a bottle of shampoo. “I have to wash your hair.”

You hesitate. “Not like Eric?”

Linda pauses. “What happened with Eric?”

Giggling, you tell her how Eric had accidentally slipped and fell face-first into the tub when he and Mark were giving you a bath last night. Murph had to leave the room because he was laughing so hard. 

She smiles mischievously, no doubt noting it for later teasing. “Nope, I’m much more skilled.” Cupping her hands, she pours warm water over your head and washes your hair, her fingers expertly untangling it as she goes. 

Holding her hand, you carefully step out of the tub. Sitting on the edge of the bath, she dries your hair with a towel and kisses your forehead. 

“There, all clean.” 

You smile broadly. “Thank you.”

Standing up, she helps you towel off and pull on a pair of pjs and brush your teeth. Though her bed is smaller than Juan’s, it’s just as warm. 

A thought hits you just as she clicks the light off and curls up next to you. “Linda?” you ask, your tiny voice cutting through the darkness of the room.

“Yes, Y/N?”

“Why didn’t MacD know me?”

She goes quiet for a moment and you poke her arm, wondering if she fell asleep. 

“It’s because you’re a little different now, that’s all.”

You frown, moving closer to her. Running your tongue along your bottom gums, you ask, “Is it because I don’t have a tooth?”

“No, it’s…” she trails off. Sighing, she starts again. “You’ve changed, that’s all. But we still love you just the same.” With that, she wraps her arm around you and kisses the top of your head. 

“Okay…” Snuggling up to her, you fall asleep.


	6. chapter six

The light-hearted feeling of having a little one around the ship quickly fades as the crew begins to notice things. First of all, you begin to sleep less and less, which would’ve already concerned Huxley enough if it weren’t also for your frequent headaches and nosebleeds. Twice, you’ve woken Juan up, crying in pain as your head pounded, and soon after, your nose would begin to drip hot blood. 

Currently you sit in medbay, Huxley, Max, and Juan standing around you as you lay on a bed. 

“Alright, Y/N, can you tell me how you feel?”

You look at Hux with glazed eyes, exhausted from a lack of sleep. “I dunno…”

Max sits on the bed next to you. “How is your head, sweetie?”

You blink, the excruciating pain in your head having only subsided after Huxley gave you some weird-tasting drink. “It hurts.”

Hux turns to Juan. “I want to run some tests.”

Juan nods, his face etched with concern. “Do it. Eric and Murph are currently working with the two CIA analysts. Hopefully they’ll be able to figure this out soon.”

Max squeezes your tiny hand, and you look up at him. “Wanna play with your dinosaurs?” he asks, his voice sweet and gentle.

You nod excitedly. “Yeah!” Your two tiny hands reach out for the small toy stegosaurus Juan gave you a few days ago, and Max gives it to you. 

Taking the little toy, you begin to create noises as he stomps across the bed. Max places a little Hot Wheels car next to it, and you squeal with glee. 

“Can I have it?”

He smiles at you. “It’s all yours.”

Taking the stegosaurus, you put it in the bed of the toy truck and race it around the bed, making car noises as you go. 

Max chuckles. “What is he doing in the truck?”

You give him a look, as though the answer is obvious. “He’s driving.”

“But he can’t reach the wheel,” he says, eyeing you curiously.

You shrug. “He drives with his mind.”

“Y/N,” Juan places a hand on top of yours, stopping the toy. “You’re going to join Huxley for some tests, okay?”

“But I want to play with my toys,” you pout.

His kneels in front of you, getting to eye level. “And you can. After. But for now, we need to go, okay?” He offers his hand to you. 

“Okay,” you hand the toys to Max. “Keep Stanley safe, okay?”

Max laughs. “Stanley the Stegosaurus?”

You shake your head. “Stanley the truck. My dinosaur’s name is Jeff.”

The three of them share a laugh before Juan and Huxley lead you out of the room. 

Though the giant humming machines scare you, Juan comforts you the whole time, ensuring that you’ll be okay and that the machines won’t hurt you. Finally, the examinations are over and you’re sent to see Max. 

You wander out of the room, excited at the thought of seeing Jeff and Stanley again. As you’re leaving, you overhear Hux say to Juan.

“If we don’t fix this soon.” There’s a pause. “She’s going to die.”

Her tone sends a chill through you, and you begin to run back to Max, all happy thoughts gone. 

He catches you as you wrap your arms around his leg. “What’s wrong, kiddo?”

A tear slips down your cheek, and you sniffle. “Am I going to die?”

Max’s eyes go wide. “No, no.” He wipes the tear away. “We won’t let that happen. You’ll be okay.”

You choke a little. “What a-about Stanley and J-Jeff? Will you take care of them?”

Max opens his mouth to speak, but you continue. “And Eric and Murph and Linda and Linc and Eddie and MacD and Juan and Huxley and-” You stop suddenly, gripping his leg tighter. “Who’s gonna take care of you?”

Juan enters the room. “We’re going to be just fine, Y/N.” He pokes your nose. “And you will be, too.” Though he smiles, there’s a tenseness in his eyes.

Huxley offers you a tiny clear cup filled with a thick, pink liquid. “This is going to help you sleep, okay?”

You nod numbly, though your grip on Max’s leg doesn’t loosen. 

“You need to drink this for us, okay?” Juan looks at you motioning to the cup. “It’s going to help.”

You reach a tiny hand out for it, the other one still gripping Max’s leg. “Does it taste funny?”

Hux smiles down at you. “Like cotton candy.” She puts the small cup in your hand. 

You sniff it a little before taking a sip. You lick your lips, enjoying the sweet taste. Looking up at Max, you ask, “Do you want some?”

He shakes his head, his eyes crinkling as he smiles. “It’s all for you.”

Taking one more sip, you finish it off. Juan plucks it from your hands and throws the cup out. 

Blinking, your eyelids begin to get heavy and your hand loosens. Max unwraps your arm and looks up at Juan. 

“You taking her?”

He nods. “My cabin is the closest to here and until we get the results back, I think she’ll be more comfortable there.” He looks down at you, his voice light. “Ready for bed?”

You smile sleepily. Reaching towards him, you take his hand. “Wait,” you say as he begins to walk away with you. Turning back to Max, you kiss his knee. “I’ll find someone to take care of you.”

He chuckles. “I’ll be just fine.”

Once out of medbay, you begin to get more and more drowsy. Finally, you slow down so much, Juan picks you up and carries you the rest of the way. Entering his cabin, you close your eyes, too tired to keep them open. Juan lays you down on the bed gently, and automatically you cuddle his arm. Out of all of the people you’ve stayed with, Juan has always been your favorite. His presence is the most comforting. 

Letting out a little sigh, you slowly open your eyes. “Juan?”

He looks lovingly down at you. “Yeah, kiddo?”

Your eyes fall closed again and you lean against his arm. “Take care of Max.”

Juan says something, but you don’t hear him, the fog of sleep overtaking you as you begin to snore lightly. 


	7. chapter seven

A ringing sound wakes you up. Next to you, Juan shifts, reaching for the phone on his nightstand. He wipes the sleep from his eyes, groaning at the bright screen. “Cabrillo.”

You hear Eric’s voice come over the line and you quickly crawl towards the phone. 

“Eric!”

Juan gently pushes you behind him. “Y/N, no. Eric, what is it?”

“We found something! You’re going to want to get down here.”

You topple over as Juan quickly gets up, the spot he lay in seconds ago still warm. “Ow.”

“Eric, I’ll be there in a sec. Have Murph send someone to stay with Y/N.” Tapping the phone screen, he ends the call.

You reach out towards him. “But I wanna come!”

He leans over and kisses your forehead. “I need you to stay here for me.” Turning away, he hops towards his closet. You scramble to the floor after him. Reaching the closet, you grab the prosthetic leg before he can and wrap around it. 

“I wanna know what’s going on.”

He frowns down at you, clearly impatient. “Y/N, please give me the leg.”

When you shake your head, he sighs and picks both you and the leg up. 

You squeak in protest. “Juan lemme down!”

“Nope.” He plops you on the bed and gently pries you off the leg. “I need to go.”

Before you can stop him, he sits down and pulls the leg on, the straps clicking as he secures it in place. You crawl over to him and lay in his lap, staring up at him. 

“You’re pinocchio.” 

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

“You’re lying,” you say, poking his nose. 

He brings your tiny fingers down to his mouth and kisses your fingertips. “I’m trying to help you.”

You furrow your brow, confused. “But lying is bad.”

He teasingly nibbles at your fingers, making you giggle. After a second, however, he goes serious. 

“You don’t have blood,” you whisper, taking your other hand and grazing his nose. 

Juan inhales deeply. “You’re… a little sick, that’s all. And we need to get you help before-”

Your lip trembles. “I die?” you ask, your voice tiny. 

He pulls you tight against his chest. “We won’t let that happen. Remember what Max said?”

You nod into his shirt, sniffling. “Yeah but…” you look up at him with big eyes as fear rolls through your chest, making your heart flutter. “I-I’m scared. What is dying like? Will it hurt? Where will I go? Will-”

Juan shushes you gently as he cradles you. “Like I said, we’re not going to let that happen.”

Your chest shakes as you begin to sob, clutching at his shirt. “I-I d-don’t… I don’t wanna die!” you wail, fear taking over you. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, Y/N.” Juan sits back on the bed and pulls you close to him, rubbing your back. “It’s okay, Y/N. You’re gonna be okay.”

A knock at the door startles you. 

“Juan? I’m here to watch-” Eric stops short as he takes in the scene. “Oh, what’s wrong? Did she have a nightmare?”

Juan’s chest vibrates beneath you. “She thinks she’s going to die, Eric. Maybe you can help explain why that won’t happen?”

The floorboards creak as the helmsman approaches. “Hey Y/N,” he says gently. Juan motions for him to sit on the bed, and Eric scoots closer and takes a seat. “The Chairman is right. You’re gonna be okay. We figured it out.”

Your tiny hands still clutch at the fabric of Juan’s shirt. All thoughts of seeing Eric are gone as you continue to sob. Gently, a hand is placed on your small back. At first you think it’s Juan, but it’s smaller, and you realize it’s Eric.

Juan’s hand shifts down to your rear, adjusting you so that your head comes up to his shoulder. “Breathe, kiddo.”

In between sobs, you gasp for a few short breaths of air. 

Eric’s hand stays steady on your back. “We figured out how to reverse what the machine did.” He clears his throat, his voice getting soft. “We found a way to save you.”

You begin to shake a little less as the two men soothe you. 

Eric continues with his explanation. “What it did was essentially emit an energy that de-ages cells. If the machine were fully on, it would have de-aged her so much that-'' He stops when Juan shoots him a look, as if to say, I understand but don’t make her feel worse. Nodding, Eric swallows and continues, returning his attention to you. “So, this energy is still affecting her cells, causing the headaches and nosebleeds as her body fights it. But, between the four of us, we’ve figured out how to reverse its effects and revert her back to her teenage self.”

“Good work, Stoney,” Juan whispers, smiling proudly. “How quickly can we fix this?”

Eric runs a hand through his hair. “Two days, tops. We still need to be able to run a few more tests before putting her anywhere near it.”

Juan opens his mouth to speak, but Eric cuts him off, predicting his question. “We already talked to Hux. It’ll be close, but she’ll be okay.” With that last word, he rubs your back a little. 

“You hear that, Y/N? You’re going to be just fine.” Juan pokes your tiny arm.

You wriggle closer to him. “What if he’s wrong?”

Eric reaches for you, and his two hands gently pull you away from Juan and into his lap. “Are you doubting me?”

“No.”

“Eric is very good at what he does. You know that, Y/N.”

Eric’s face goes red at Juan’s praise. “Thanks, bossman.”

You reach up for his glasses and pull them away. Putting them on your face, you gasp. “Whoa.” The room bends and blurs as you look through his strong prescription. Eric laughs. 

“Hard to see, huh?”

You nod slowly and look at Juan, whose face is distorted. “You look funny.”

Eric slides a hand underneath your arm and his fingers begin to dance across your skin. You giggle and squeal as he tickles you. 

Juan plucks the glasses out of your tiny fist and hands them back to Eric. He expertly wipes them with his shirt and slips them back over his nose. Turning to Juan, he says, “I can watch her if you want to go meet with Murph. He can explain everything to you.”

Juan nods and stands up, casting a glance at you. Smirking, he asks, “Are you going to behave?”

Giggling, Eric tickles you again. “Yes! Yes!” you squeal. 

Juan gives one final nod to Eric before turning to leave. 

“Wait, Chairman!”

Juan turns. “Yeah, Eric?”

He looks around, kind of sheepish. “Should I stay here?”

Laughing, Juan walks away, saying over his shoulder, “You’re fine, Eric. Just don’t get too comfortable in my bed.”

You poke his nose, and he smiles down at you, his soft brown eyes studying you. “Do you want to go to bed?”

You sit there, thinking for a moment. “No, I wanna see the stars.” Hopping down, you grab his big hand and begin to lead him out of the cabin. 

“Y/N, we should probably stay here.”

You smile up at him, remembering Linda’s smirk from earlier. “Can I tell Juan about the bath?”

His face goes bright red. “No!”

You tug on his hand again. “Then let’s go see the stars.” 

He chuckles. “Wow… I’m being blackmailed by a four-year-old.”

Eventually, the two of you make it out to the deck. Eric pulls off his old USNA sweatshirt and wraps you in it to keep you from catching a cold in the chilly night breeze. The sweatshirt comes down to the deck, and you walk carefully so as to not trip. Gripping his hand, you pull him to the railing. 

Pointing a small finger up at the sky, you stare up at a big bright star. “What’s that?”

Eric takes your two hands and pulls you close to his body so that your back rests against his legs, protected from the wind. “That’s Polaris, the North Star.”

Your eyes dart around the blanket of glittering diamonds, searching. “Where’s the south one?”

He laughs behind you. “There isn’t one. It’s just the North Star.”

You frown. “That must be lonely.”

Eric thinks for a moment. “He has other friends.” He points to a bright white dot in the sky. “That’s a planet. Venus, I do believe.”

Suddenly, a question hits you. “How was he made?” You tilt your head back and look up at Eric. “Where did they all come from?”

“Well, way back when, there was this big bang and gravity began-”

You scrunch your face up, confused at the new word. “What’s gravity?”

“It’s something that pulls stuff together.”

“Like string?”

“No, uh-”

You don’t let him finish, your mind already onto the next thing. “And why can’t we see them during the day? Do they go to sleep? And why does the moon change? And-”

Eric laughs, cutting you off. “Hold on, Y/N. One question at a time. Gravity caused the planets to form by pulling tiny particles-”

“What’s a par-ti-cle?”

He takes a deep breath, smiling at you. “A particle is a very, very tiny amount of something. These tiny particles got pulled together slowly over time and eventually formed  _ huge  _ planets. As for the reason why we can’t see these planets during the day, it has to do with how bright the sky is in contrast with the planets and their locations at the time.”

You stare up at him, your face blank. “They  _ move?” _

Eric laughs and lays down on the ground. “Come here.”

You lay down and curl up next to him, the two of you staring up at the sky above you.

“So, yes, the planets move. We all rotate around the sun, the big yellow thing in the middle.”

You nod. A gust of wind blows the sweatshirt hood over your head and Eric pushes it back for you. 

“The moon looks like it changes, but that’s really just because of light and tilting. It’s still all there, though our eyes can’t really see it.”

You poke his side. “Yours can’t, at least.”

He laughs. “Yeah, nope. I’m blind without these things. Anyways,” he points up at the sky, starting again. “The planets and stars don’t go to sleep. They’re still there.”

Nodding, you snuggle up against him. “That’s cool,” you whisper sleepily, the drugs taking over your system once again. 

He wraps his arm around you. “Yeah, it is.”


	8. chapter eight

Juan grips your hand tight as the two of you make your way towards the rocky beach. While the others run final checks on the machine, Juan thought bringing you down to the nearby coast might be a good distraction. 

“Seagull!” you squeal, jumping up and down as you pull on Juan’s arm. A dirty white bird rests on a wet rock, his feathers ruffling in the wind. Three more of them fly overhead, hunting for snacks.

You pull against his hand, trying to run towards the bird, but he stops you. “No, Y/N, those rocks are slippery.”

You look up at him with puppy eyes. “But you promised.”

He thinks for a moment before realizing what you mean. He walks with you in the direction of the birds. Pulling out a packet from his pocket, he tears it open. “Here,” Juan pours a few of them into your hand. “They can eat these.”

You stare at him. “Cheerios?”

He nods, grinning. “No waffles for them.”

You take a tiny handful and throw them into the sand, laughing with glee as they swoop down and peck at the cereal. “They ate it!” 

He lets your hand go as you approach the beach. Running off, you head straight for the water, the sand soft underneath your small feet. The sea licks at the beach, tiny waves swelling and cresting before crashing back down onto the beach. Juan strolls behind you, taking in the salty air and warm sun. 

Without hesitation, you jump into the surf, the cold water sending chills through you. A wave comes over your head, soaking you. Shaking your hair, you laugh lightly and kick the water with your foot, spraying droplets into the air. Juan kicks off his dock shoes and waves at you, his blond hair shining in the sun. Stepping into the water, he comes to stand next to you. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it kiddo?”

You take in his soulful gaze and stare out at the ocean. Shrugging, you look back at the birds. “Yeah, like George.”

“Gomez? I mean, sure but…” He trails off, laughing heartily. 

“No, he’s pretty! But I mean George.” You wave to the seagull, though he doesn’t return the gesture. 

Juan turns and looks at the seagull before looking down at you, chuckling. “Pretty…” he mutters, shaking his head. 

“Gomez is!” You put your finger under your nose. “Moustache. Like a cowboy!”

Juan eyes a big wave and scoops you up, raising you high above his head with ease. The water splashes his shoulders, soaking his swim trunks and shirt. Up so high, you study the sea in front of you, going quiet as you take in its glittering blue surface. Mesmerized, your jaw hangs open. 

“Don’t drool on me, now.” Juan teases as he lowers you down again. The cool water licks at your legs as you stand in the water next to him. 

“Pretty…” you whisper. 

Juan smiles and leans down, his hand distorting as he reaches under the water for something. You grab at his huge hand, trying to pry his strong fingers open. 

“Jeez, be patient!” he jokes before opening his hand and revealing what he’s holding. 

You gasp. “What’s that!”

Juan rinses the white object off in the water, getting rid of some of the sand that covered its sparkling exterior. “It’s a shell.”

You greedily grab for it, and he lowers his hand so that you can reach it. “Can I keep it?”

He laughs. “I’m sure the past occupants won’t mind.”

You grip the shell tight in your palm, not wanting to lose it. Juan’s phone buzzes in his pocket. Pulling it out, he strips off the waterproof bag and answers it.

“Ready?” There’s a pause, and he reaches for your hand. “Okay, we’ll be there in twenty.”

“You ready, Y/N?”

You don’t reply as you double over in pain. You let out a scream as a jackhammer pounds at your skull. Hot blood drips down from your nose and onto your lip. 

“Jesus!” Juan quickly picks you up and runs to the beach. You thrash and scream, crying in agony.

He sets you down on the sand and cups your face. “It’s okay, Y/N. Shh…” 

You clutch at his wet shirt and scream into his chest and he pulls you close. White sparks go off behind your eyes, and more blood dribbles down your chin. 

Juan rubs your back, trying to console you. “It’s okay! You’re okay!”

“H-Hurts!” you yelp, raising a tiny hand to your head. “M-make it… make it stop…!”

He pulls your hands away as you rub your eyes harshly. Holding you tight, he pulls out his phone and begins to say something when you let loose another scream. 

A few minutes later, Huxley rushes to your side, followed by Max and Linc. “Another attack?” she asks, breathless.

Juan nods, struggling to hold you as you thrash against him, screaming and crying. Huxley’s hands gently grip your chest and pull you away from Juan. Max and Linc each grab a flailing arm before you accidentally hit Hux in the face. 

Juan takes gauze from the doctor and wipes your face as she preps a needle. You scream and squirm, but you’re unable to move as Juan holds your legs down. 

“This should dull the pain.” Reaching for your arm, Huxley looks up at Linc. “Hold her steady.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Max soothes, carding your hair with his free hand. You look up at him, whimpering. In your other arm, you feel a prick and scream again, realizing what just happened. 

Juan continues to hold the gauze to your nose. Though it takes a few seconds, whatever Hux gave you begins to ease the pain in your head. Blinking slowly, your fingers and toes begin to tingle with a strange half-numbness.

Linc takes a huge finger and wipes your eyes. “It’s okay, Y/N.”

Whimpering again, you lock eyes with the seagull, desperately trying to anchor yourself. Juan hands the bloody gauze to Huxley and she places it in her medkit. Behind you, Linc and Max gently sit you up as Hux studies you with concern. 

“I did say it would be close,” she whispered to Juan, who nods. 

You stare up at Juan’s blue eyes. “W-what’s wrong with m-me?”

Max pulls you close to him, wiping the sand off of your back as Linc helps Huxley to her feet, pulling her up with ease. 

Juan’s shoulders are tight with tension as he stares down at you with fatherly concern. “Like I said, you’re just a little sick.”

Linc’s deep voice rumbles behind you. “Boss, we’re ready.”

Juan nods and Max begins to pick you up into his arms when Juan shakes his head. “I’ve got her.”

Max passes your tiny body to him, knowing now is not the time for a joke. You begin to bounce a little on his shoulder as the five of you make your way back to the warehouse. You wrap your arms around Juan’s neck and study your hands behind his back.

“They feel funny,” you whisper, looking at Huxley. 

Her ponytail swishes in the breeze as her soft brown eyes glance at your hands. “It’s okay, sweetie.” 

You rub a hand on your forehead. Though the sharp pain is gone, a dull ache still remains, and tears prick at your eyes. Sniffling, you swallow, your mouth tasting like metal. 

Juan shifts one hand to your back, the other staying on your bottom to hold you up. Rubbing in circles, he talks to you softly. “You’re alright, Y/N. It’s okay.”

The walk takes forever, and you shiver slightly in the cool breeze, the hairs on your arms raising as you shiver slightly. 

“All ready, boss.” Murph calls out as he pulls open the doors to the huge warehouse. A vague memory hits you, and it feels as though you’ve been here before. Yet, when you try to explore it further, your headache gets worse. Slumping on Juan’s shoulder, you give up. 

After traveling down a flight of stairs, the cool air of a basement hits you. Over Juan’s shoulder, you see Huxley walk over to a metal table and put her medkit down next to Eric’s laptop. She says something to him, and his lips form a grim line. 

Juan sets you down on another table, and Eddie walks over, coming to stand next to him. In his hands is a giant white hospital gown. 

“Who’s that for?”

Linda takes the gown out of Eddie’s hands and picks you up, heedless of how your wet clothes soak her black shirt. “They’re for you. Let’s change, okay?”

She carries you around a bend and to an isolated corner of the basement. With numb hands, you try to peel off your wet shirt, but you can’t. Linda kneels down and takes it off for you, neatly folding it and placing it on the floor. After a few seconds, you’re out of your wet clothes and she begins to pull the enormous gown over your head. 

“Why am I wearing this?” you whine, getting tangled in the light fabric. “It’s big.”

She kisses your forehead. “Hopefully, it’ll fit you soon.”

You frown, confused, but she says nothing. Linda takes your hand and begins to lead you back to the others, but the long fabric makes you trip and, if not for her grip on your hand, you would’ve face planted into the floor.

“How about this?” She easily scoops you up. 

“All good?” Juan asks, looking down at you. You glance up at Linda, who gives him a small smile. 

Eric and Murph walk over, along with two other men you don’t recognize. They bring you over to a strange looking machine. 

Behind you, you hear Linda say, “It’s sad we have to turn her back. She’s really adorable.”

Linc chuckles. “Even when she’s carrying a knife.”

“I know, guys, but this is what’s best,” Juan says, sighing. 

You stare up at Eric. “What do they mean?”

He and Murph tentatively press some buttons on the big machine. After a second, Murph looks over his shoulder, his shaggy hair covering his eyes. “Just some stuff.”

The machine begins to hum to life, and the four men step back. You turn to leave with them, but Eric lays a hand on your shoulder. “Stay here, okay?”

Your lip trembles, the sounds of the machine scaring you. Wiping your eyes, you nod and sit down. “O-okay.”

Juan and the others wave at you one last time and you wave a tiny hand back at them. 

“W-will it h-hurt?” you ask, your voice tiny. Your big eyes stare up at the machine. 

Eric smiles warmly and presses one last button. “You’ll be just fine.”

Before he can leave, you grab his leg. He glances down at you, an eyebrow arched. 

“I-I love you guys.”

Kissing your forehead, he smiles. “We love you too, Y/N.” Gently pulling his leg away, he joins the others.

The last thing you see is Juan’s face, etched with concern, before everything goes black. 


	9. chapter nine

“What the fu-” You blearily wipe at your eyes before struggling to get up, your head aching. Through the fog, you hear footsteps and voices, when suddenly, hands are on your shoulders, pushing you down. 

“Stay there, Y/N.” Huxley’s voice calls to you. You blink slowly, the world a messy blur. 

Juan and the senior crew stand over you, staring down at you. You look down at your body and frown. 

“Why the hell am I wearing a dress?” you demand, glaring up at them. Despite being a girl, you’ve always hated dresses. 

Huxley’s calm voice cuts through. “It’s a hospital gown. And look up at me, please.” She gently tilts your face up to hers, shining a penlight in your eyes. You wince and look away. 

Taking in your surroundings, you frown. “When did you guys get here?” As far as you can remember, it was only Max, Juan, and you in the warehouse. 

They all share a look. 

“That’s a little complicated,” Juan says finally. Before you can say anything else, he looks down at Huxley. “She okay?”

You look between them and push their hands off slowly. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Eric and Murph stand behind you with two other men you haven’t seen before. They quickly press some buttons and the whirring from behind you stops. 

When no one answers, Eddie rubs the back of his neck. “You kind of got… younger.”

You start.  _ “What?” _

“It’s okay, Y/N. You’re fine now.” Juan kneels next to you. 

You ignore him. “What the hell do you mean? What happened?”


	10. chapter ten

“A toddler?” you ask, incredulous. 

Juan’s face is partially covered by the low light of the boardroom. “Yes.”

You sit there, stunned. Studying your hands, you ask quietly. “And you’re sure you fixed it, right?”

Murph laughs next to you, but Huxley shoots him a look. “Yes, you’re all set now.”

“So…” your face goes red. “How long was I… ya know?”

Juan leans forwards. “Roughly a month.”

Your jaw drops. “A  _ month?! _ ” Then you flush up again. “Wait… did you guys…” 

Max reads your embarrassment. “You’re fine, sweetheart.”

Your voice breaks as you think of all the things a little kid needs. “So you guys had to what, like feed me-” Your face pales. “Oh no, you didn’t have to shower me, did you?”

Linda laughs. “Well, Eric tried to give you a bath, but…” 

“Hey!” he shouts, before lowering his voice. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything!”

Linda smiles mischievously. “I had my fingers crossed.”

You stare at him, horrified. “Oh God, what did I do?”

Murph doubles over, his eyes watering from laughing. “He-” he points at Eric and begins laughing again. After taking a much-needed breath, he blurts out. “He fell into the tub!”

Eric’s face goes as red as yours. He glances at the Chairman, who’s eyes sparkle with amusement. “That’s- I didn’t-” he sputters. 

“You guys had to bathe me…” you whisper, your ears burning. 

Max lays a hand on your leg. “It’s okay. Plus,” he smirks at Juan. “I’m sure some of our parents went through much worse.”

Juan laughs. “Let’s just say I wasn’t the most well-behaved child, Y/N.”

You smile slightly, unable to imagine Juan misbehaving as a kid. You’re about to say something when the smell of food wafts into the room. Next to you, Linda’s stomach growls. 

Everyone laughs as she grins. “What? Taking care of a kid is hard work.” She pokes your side. 

Maurice begins to lay down the plates, and you frown as everyone gets China but you.

“What’s this?” you ask, holding up a plastic Dora the Explorer plate. 

In his plumpy British accent, he replies. “Simply a bad habit.”

You stare down at the Dora plate. “Aw, hell no.”

Across the table, Lincoln begins to chuckle, and soon the others join in. 

Murph points accusingly, locking eyes with Juan. “She said a bad language word.”

Your face flushes. “Stop, guys.” But they don’t hear you over the onslaught of jokes.

“You have a plastic knife, Maurice? She’s a little young for a real one.”

“Where’s her chicken nuggets?”

“Be careful, she’s not wearing a bib.”

You resist the urge to crawl under the table as you stare at them. “Really, guys?” you ask, half laughing.

Juan holds up his hand. “Alright, that’s enough.” He looks pointedly at you and a smirk creeps onto his face. “It’s way past your bedtime.”

You stand up from the table. “Wow. You were my last hope, Chairman.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Sorry to disappoint.” Though, the grin on his face makes you suspect otherwise.

You smile. “I’m going to bed.  _ Not  _ because it’s my bedtime. But because I’m tired. Night, guys.”

They nod and smile. Before leaving, you grab an apple and pick up the Dora plate. As you walk past Maurice, you shove it into his chest teasingly. Though his dour expression never changes, you catch the barest hint of a smile in his eyes.

On your way to your cabin, you try to wrap your head around what happened. Sighing, you open the door and flop on the bed. 

Just as you close your eyes, you hear a knock on your door. 

“One more joke and I’ll throw a pillow at you!” you quickly grab the closest one and hold it up threateningly. 

Juan walks in, his hands in the air. “Oh no,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “A  _ pillow.  _ I’m so scared. You mind?” He points to the end of your bed, and you nod. 

Sitting down, he smiles at you. “You know we’re only teasing, right?”

Chuckling, you nod. “I’m not that sensitive, Juan. Jeez.”

He pats your leg. “I know, I’m just checking.” His blue eyes study you. Quietly, he asks, “Are you okay?”

“Weirded out, but fine.” 

After a moment, he nods and reaches out for you. Wrapping his arms around you, he rests a hand on the back of your head and pulls you to his chest. His cologne is a welcomed comfort. “Glad you’re back.”

You playfully slap his arm. “What? Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo couldn’t handle a toddler?”

He laughs. “No, unlike Eric I did just fine. It’s just that I feel a lot better having all of my wayward children safe and sound. Even if they aren’t really kids anymore.”


End file.
